Written Indept Tozan Report
							By Anthony Elmore Sr.
	Dear Buddhist friends on August 15, 2001 I departed my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee to attend our August Summer study Tozan or pilgrimage to our Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple at the foot of Mt. Fuji at the Nichiren Shoshu Temple called Taisekiji. This website is called the "Proud Black Buddhist" website and I find it difficult to write a Black or African/American perspective. It would have been very easy to write a generic report on the subject of our August 2001 Tozan but a Black perspective is very important and this report is from the eyes of a single Black man and I make the point clear that I only represent myself and a few courageous souls who have the courage to expose a Black prospective. Many Black people would like to know what it feels like to be a Black Buddhist. From a spiritual standpoint most Black people attend a Church or Mosque to participate in their religious practice. For the most part religious practices for most Black people is carried out or lead by Black people. During the early Christian practice in America it was White missionaries who lead and taught Christianity in America to Black people. In early Africa Black people were Christians and many to day believe that Christ was a Black man. Many do not know this but the first Pope in the Roman Catholic Church was a Black man. The World oldest Christian Church is the Coptic Church in Africa, in Ethiopia to be exact. After the abolition of slavery in America Black people were allowed to worship with White people however White people objected to Black people worshiping with them which lead to Black people establishing the first Black Church denomination in America called the AME or African Methodist Episcopal Church which later spit into the CME Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Later came the Baptist, Church of God in Christ and many later denominations. Early on, all Catholic Priest in America were White and only during my lifetime has the Catholic Church named Black Bishops. It seems by my observation that Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in America is run strongly by Japanese Priest. In Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in America I am not aware of any White dominate figures and anyone equal to a Nichiren Shoshu Priest. The dominant figures in Nichiren Shoshu in America are the Nichiren Shoshu Priest who seems to run everything. In the former SGI Buddhist organization White people had a stronger role in Buddhism's American leadership. Since returning from Japan people ask me did I enjoy my trip and the answer is a quick no. Let me repeat; I did not enjoy our 2001 summer Tozan. This 2001 summer Tozan was the most difficult Tozan that I have ever faced. I knew that when I got off the Northwest Flight number #19 from Minneapolis to Narita Airport outside of Tokyo I became suspicious. I have had enough experience in the Buddhist teachings to know that if you have no problems going to Tozan all hell is going to break loose later. When I got on the Northwest flight they put me in the business class with the people who could afford to be there. I was seated in this giant seat with a personal video, slippers and all of the luxuries that come with such an expensive flight that I only paid perhaps 15 to 20 percent of the ticket. I let the seat back and sleep all the way to Tokyo until I was awaken with one of those luxury meals that rich folk eat.
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